English learning area news

Check in here regularly for news related to subjects in the English learning area.

Free webinars for early career and returning P-10 English teachers

27 February 2020

The QCAA is pleased to offer a series of webinars exploring the intent and structure of each of the eight P–10 Australian Curriculum (AC) learning areas including English.

For teachers beginning their careers, or returning to the English classroom, these webinars provide an opportunity to:

• investigate important features that support alignment of curriculum with classroom practice
• gain confidence in applying the common language of the curriculum to plan successful teaching and learning programs
• identify and unpack the cognitive verbs in the P–10 Australian Curriculum
• explore the selection and use of relevant teaching strategies to develop knowledge, skills, problem solving, and critical and creative thinking.

This professional development activity has relevance to elements of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers: two, three and six. In particular these webinars align with the following APST Focus areas:

• 2.2 Content selection and organisation
• 2.3 Curriculum, assessment and reporting
• 3.2 Plan, structure and sequence learning programs
• 3.3 Use teaching strategies.

Webinars for English are on Wednesday 4 March and Thursday 5 March.

For more information and to register for these free webinars please visit the QCAA PD and Events page.

Literacy workshops: Extending higher-order reading strategies for Years 7–10

21 February 2020

Students need to use higher-order reading strategies to engage with and meet the differing literacy demands across the written, multimodal and online texts used in all learning areas.

The QCAA is running some practical workshops for educators to explore the literacy strategies students need for a range of purposes and applications, and to identify teaching strategies that strengthen those strategies.

Effective readers need a range of skills, including an ability to:

• read print, multimodal and online texts
• infer meaning from texts
• examine and think critically to interpret texts
• respond to complex questions about texts.

Who should attend:

• secondary teachers
• curriculum leaders
• literacy coaches
• learning support staff.

View the PD & events section for more information about, and to register for, the workshops.

Heads of Department Networking forums

3 February 2020

To support schools to implement the new English syllabuses, QCAA is inviting English Heads of Department to networking forums across the state, starting in February.

Participants will have the opportunity to:

• discuss approaches to implementation of the 2019 syllabuses
• develop and maintain collegial relationships with other Heads of Department
• strengthen local professional networks
• share ideas about best practice.

Places at each venue are limited so we ask that schools send only one Head of Department for the English Learning Area.

For those who cannot attend in person, QCAA is also hosting a webinar in March.

To register, please discuss with your school’s Principal’s delegate.

Preparing for endorsement event 2

15 January 2020

Schools are reminded that submissions for the second endorsement event are due by 5.00pm on Friday 31 January 2020. Assessments must be submitted via the Endorsement application in the QCAA Portal.

The QCAA has developed a wide range of resources to help schools develop and submit assessment for endorsement. These can be accessed via the QCAA Portal > Noticeboard > Developing and submitting assessment for endorsement — support resources. They include a resource for schools on the lessons learned from the first endorsement event.

Subject specific information is also available via the QCAA Portal > Syllabuses application. Select the Units 3 and 4 tab to access the endorsement submission information and quality assurance tools for each instrument.

Top tips for getting assessment endorsed

• Alignment: Ensure assessment instruments match syllabus topics, subject matter, and assessment objectives or specifications.
• Authenticity: Ensure assessment instruments are constructed so that students have an opportunity to provide unique responses. QCAA-developed sample assessments are in the public domain and cannot be submitted by schools for endorsement.
• Scope and scale: Be aware of the syllabus conditions (word length and time) to ensure that students can complete the assessment in sufficient depth to demonstrate the range of performance levels. Consider whether qualifiers such as ‘thorough’ or ‘concise’ analysis can be demonstrated within the word length or time constraint.
• Language: Use language that is clear, direct and accessible to students. Proofread to ensure there are no spelling, grammar or punctuation errors.

Subject-specific advice

For subject-specific advice, view the resources below.

• English endorsement event 2 advice (PDF, 143.0 KB)
• English & Literature Extension endorsement event 2 advice (PDF, 128.4 KB)
• English as an Additional Language endorsement event 2 advice (PDF, 130.1 KB)
• Essential English endorsement event 2 advice (PDF, 178.1 KB)
• Literature endorsement event 2 advice (PDF, 128.3 KB)

Key contacts

• Endorsement application access and user roles: email clientservices@qcaa.qld.edu.au or phone (07) 3864 0278.
• Using the endorsement application: email qau@qcaa.qld.edu.au, or phone (07) 3864 0375 or (07) 3120 6150.
• Subject-specific knowledge or instrument/item construction: contact the relevant learning area.

English PD at Emerald, Longreach and Roma in January 2020

27 November 2019

The QCAA is providing free professional development activities for all schools (from Prep to Year 12) in Emerald, Longreach and Roma areas in January 2020.

Covering curriculum and assessment topics across all schooling levels, QCAA staff will be presenting on, and discussing, Australian Curriculum and QCE system planning and quality assurance.

Sessions on the QCE system will include English-specific syllabus conversations, as well as information about endorsement and confirmation processes.

Full program and registration

• Emerald (Thursday 23 January)
• Longreach (Friday 24 January)
• Roma (Thursday 23 January).

Become a QCAA assessor (confirmation)

27 September 2019

The Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) is seeking applications from experienced teachers across all General and General (Extension) subjects for QCAA assessor (confirmation) roles.

In the new QCE system, confirmation is the process that examines the accuracy and consistency of teachers’ judgments about students’ responses to summative internal assessment instruments.

The QCAA employs and trains QCAA assessors (confirmation) to review student responses to summative internal assessment and make decisions about alignment between schools’ judgments and the ISMGs.

Confirmers will:

• contribute to an important quality assurance process in the new QCE system
• gain first-hand experience of the confirmation process so they can inform their school’s approach to assessment
• increase their understanding of the new syllabuses and instrument-specific marking guides
• be able to record their training as continuing professional development with the Queensland College of Teachers (QCT)
• network with like-minded colleagues in their local area and from across Queensland at confirmation events.

Applications close on Friday 11 October 2019.

For more information and to apply, visit QCAA assessors.

State library research resources

9 September 2019

The state library provides access to a research librarian who can:

• assist you with identifying and searching resources for your topic
• if appropriate, refer you to other resources or organisations to find what you need
• research your topic for up to one hour free of charge (with a maximum of six enquiries per calendar year per client). They will provide a response within 10 working days.

For more information, visit the State Library of Queensland website.

Michael Gow’s Away

13 August 2019

The QCAA is working with Australian National Theatre (ANT) Live to enable students and teachers around Queensland to view the filmed performance of Michael Gow’s play Away during Term 4 this year. Away is on the English and English as an Additional Language (EAL) prescribed text list.

This performance of the Malthouse Theatre’s production of Away brings the excitement of world-class live theatre to local cinemas screens.

A complementary education resource covers the social, political and historical contexts of the play, its Shakespearean links, as well as interviews with the writer, actors and designers. Produced with the Victoria University, the resource offers a range of activities and discussions for senior English and Drama students to explore, analyse and engage deeply with the text and the production.

If you are interested in screening the production in your school or would like to attend a screening at your local cinema, please contact Jess O’Neill in our Communications team to discuss available dates and costs.

For a preview of the production, please visit ANT Live: Away.

About ANT Live

The aim of ANT Live is to enable all Australians to enjoy, criticise and participate in the development of our artistic heritage, and to give everyone an equal opportunity to share great Australian stories and witness great Australian performances without the restrictions of time, money or distance.

About Away

It’s the summer of 1967, and three families head away for a beach holiday. Set against a backdrop of war and social revolution, they find themselves caught up in their own storm of secrets and conflict. Michael Gow’s classic Australian play explores themes of loss and change as three mothers deal with their own personal grief and their attempt at letting go. Relationships are pushed to the edge as secrets are exposed and the pressure of social change takes its toll.

Professional development opportunities in Term 3

13 July 2019

English Head of Department (HOD) forums

During Term 3, the QCAA will host forums for English HODs to:

• discuss endorsement processes and mock external assessments
• examine approaches to implementation of the 2019 syllabuses
• share ideas about best practice
• network with other HODs.

The table below contains details of the forums. HODs should contact their local QCAA district coordinator to register.